• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Comfortable Food
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cooking
  • Seasonal
  • Regional
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cooking
    • Seasonal
    • Regional
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » How to Make Recipes

    How To Boil Corn On The Cob

    BY: Ben Rayl PUBLISHED: 18 Jan, '22 UPDATED: 18 Jan, '22 Leave a Comment

    Learn how to boil corn on the cob

    Corn on the cob has to be one of the most versatile vegetables out there. However, with so many different ways to prepare it, knowing which method is best can be challenging.

    After trying out many different recipes, we have decided that boiling is the best way to cook corn on the cob. It produces a wonderfully tender texture and a subtly sweet taste. Once boiled, it is also very easy to incorporate into other recipes.

    Learn how to boil corn on the cob
    How to boil corn on the cob.
    Contents
    • Choosing the best corn on the cob
    • How to boil corn on the cob
    • Serving suggestions
    • What to do with leftover corn on the cob
    • Related Corn Recipes
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Related Cooking How-tos
    • Final Thoughts

    Need convincing? Check out the information below. We've covered everything, including how to choose the freshest corn, how to boil corn cobs perfectly, and how to best use your leftovers!

    Choosing the best corn on the cob

    The secret to deliciously sweet boiled corn on the cob is all in the freshness. When purchasing corn on the cob, use these useful tips to ensure your meal is as tasty as possible!

    How to identify fresh corn on the cob
    How to pick the freshest corn on the cob.
    1. Go to a farmer's market or a fresh produce stand. These are most likely to be picked recently and generally tend to be a lot fresher than store-bought corn cob!
    2. Bright green husks wrapped tightly around the corn are a great sign of freshness and sweetness.
    3. Always check for bugs! Also, keep an eye out for wormholes. If you see any, pick another cob.
    4. The tassels on the corn should be moist, silky, and a bit sticky.
    5. If you can do so (without getting in trouble), peel back the tops of the husks. This way, you can check the tip of the corn cob.

    How to boil corn on the cob

    Now that you are able to choose the freshest corn cob let's take a look at how to boil it.

    Step One

    Peel the corn cob. Remove the green husks and the silks (the thin, sticky strands that cling to the corn).

    Step Two

    Fill a large pot with water so that it is about halfway full. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil.

    Step Three

    Add the corn to the water. Cook them uncovered until they are golden in color and have a tender texture. The exact length of time you cook them for will depend completely on your preferences. Generally, we cook them for around 5 minutes.

    Step Four

    Remove the corn and place it on a plate or serving dish. Coat the corn in a light layer of butter and sprinkle with some good quality salt to make them extra delicious.

    Step Five

    Enjoy your corn as a delicious side dish or even as a warm snack!

    Serving suggestions

    Above, we detailed a super simple and delicious way to enjoy boiled corn on the cob, using a dash of butter and salt. However, there are a number of ways this delicious veg can be enjoyed.

    Boiled corn on the cob with paprika
    Add seasoning like paprika to corn on the cob!

    We've listed our favorites below, be sure to give them a go!

    Add some spice

    If you're a fan of hot food, try sprinkling the corn cob with some paprika or even chili powder. Be careful though, you don't want it to be too spicy!

    Add your favorite sauce

    We love drizzling our corn cob with some chipotle sauce. Ranch dressing is also a great choice!

    Try Mexican style corn on the cob

    While the corn is cooking, whisk together some mayonnaise and cayenne pepper. Once cooked, brush this mixture onto the corn cob, and sprinkle with feta cheese.

    What to do with leftover corn on the cob

    If you're anything like us, you always manage to make too much food no matter how hard you try.

    However, if you manage to do this when you boil corn on the cob, you can do loads of things with the leftovers. Our favorite leftover recipes are below, be sure to try them out!

    Fried Corn

    The easiest way to eat boiled corn leftovers is to fry them up. Remove the kernels from the cob and mix them in a bowl with a dash of sugar and salt. After heating some oil in a pan, fry the corn for roughly ten minutes.

    This is a super delicious side dish with the sweet and salty taste you'd expect from caramel corn! Or you can try how to make corn nuggets. They are so easy and tastes crispy and delicious!

    Corn Salad

    Remove the kernels from the corn cob and place them in a large bowl with diced tomatoes, grated cheddar cheese, minced onion, chopped cilantro, and diced peppers. Simply mix mayonnaise, black pepper, lime juice, and garlic pepper to make a dressing.

    Combine the dressing with the salad, and stir until it is evenly distributed. For texture, make sure you serve with crushed tortilla chips!

    Nachos

    All you need to do here is remove the kernels from the corn and sprinkle them over your favorite nacho recipe. We recommend one that also uses black beans and lots of cheese!

    Cheesy Corn

    Making cheesy corn is the perfect way to use your leftovers if you're feeling a bit lazy but fancy something indulgent.

    Mix one cup of your leftover corn kernels with 1 or 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then, sprinkle them with a decent serving of mozzarella cheese—finally, microwave for a maximum of one minute. Once cooled, we recommend sprinkling these easy delights with some fresh parsley!

    Related Corn Recipes

    Corn is a stable in comfort food recipes and for good reason. Some of the best recipe contain corn as the key ingredient.

    • Featured chicken corn chowder
      Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder
    • Featured corn soup
      Creamy Corn Soup
    • Featured jalapeno cheddar cornbread
      Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
    • Featured individual chicken pot pies
      Individual Chicken Pot Pies

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is it a good idea to add salt to the water before boiling the corn?

    Generally, we don't recommend this. Adding salt to the water can ruin the tender texture of the corn, as it can make it quite tough. If you're a fan of salty corn, sprinkle it on top after it has been cooked!

    Can you boil corn on the cob for too long?

    In short, yes. Overcooking corn on the cob can result in chewy kernels that are too firm. To avoid this, make sure to keep an eye on your boiling corn. Once golden yellow and tender, they are ready!

    Do you need to put milk in the water when boiling corn?

    You don’t have to, however, if you enjoy sweet corn then adding milk is a great idea. Opt for equal parts water and milk for the best outcome. If you don’t want to add milk to the water, but still want a sweet dish, you can try adding some sugar instead!

    Related Cooking How-tos

    Do you love cooking, classic comfort food recipes and learning? Check out these cooking kitchen how tos and always keep learning something new.

    • Jasmine rice featured
      How to make Perfect Jasmine Rice
    • How to brine a turkey
      How To Brine A Turkey
    • What is wagyu beef explained
      What Is Wagyu Beef?
    • How to zest a lemon step by step
      How To Zest A Lemon

    Final Thoughts

    Boiling is a super easy and delicious way to prepare corn on the cob. We hope that this article has inspired you to give it a go!

    More How to Make Recipes

    • How to bake bacon
      How To Bake Bacon
    • The best brioche hamburger buns
      Brioche Hamburger Buns
    • How to make the best balsamic vinaigrette ever
      How to Make Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Simple perfect pasta
      Simple, Perfect Pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Chef Ben Rayl

    Hi, I'm Ben!

    I believe comfort food unites us, and I want to inspire you to cook at home with everyday ingredients. It is easier and takes less time than you think, costs less than eating out, and tastes a million times better.Read More

    Feel free to share our recipes on your blog using a photo and link back to the original recipe.

    Cooking How-tos

    • How to soften butter 1
      How To Soften Butter
    • How to use a rice cooker
      How To Use A Rice Cooker
    • How to toast pecans
      How To Toast Pecans
    • How to brown butter
      How To Brown Butter

    Italian Recipes

    • Fried spaghetti featured image 1
      Fried Spaghetti
    • 25 best shrimp pasta recipes featured 1
      25 Best Shrimp Pasta Recipes
    • 27 best olive garden recipes featured
      27 Best Olive Garden Recipes
    • Very tasty chicken marsala featured
      Chicken Marsala Olive Garden

    Comfort Casseroles

    • Featured chicken broccoli casserole
      Chicken Broccoli Casserole
    • Featured beef enchilada casserole
      Beef Enchilada Casserole
    • Featured chicken wild rice casserole
      Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
    • Featured pics
      Cabbage Roll Casserole

    Best Comfort Recipes

    • Soup recipes with few ingredients
      35 Easy Soup Recipes with Few Ingredients
    • Featured shredded chicken
      28 Easy Recipes with Shredded Chicken
    • Chorizo recipes featured
      26 Easy Chorizo Recipes
    • Cream of chicken recipes
      20 Easy Cream of Chicken Recipes
    • Panini recipes
      25 Best "Gooey Panini Recipes"
    • Easy kielbasa recipes
      30 Easy Kielbasa Recipes

    Footer

    Subscribe Now

    Never miss a recipe!

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    About

    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility

    Recipes

    • Dinner Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes

    More

    • Cooking How tos
    • 35 Easy Soup Recipes with Few Ingredients

    Favorites

    • Bruschetta Recipe
    • Breakfast Casserole with Bacon
    • Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
    • Chicken and Biscuits
    • Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Comfortable Food · All Rights Reserved